Cantt Board demolishes houses; residents seek Guv’s intervention

SHILLONG: The Shillong Cantonment Board authorities went ahead with a demolition drive on Wednesday dismantling several houses in Jhalupara forcing the aggrieved residents to approach Governor V Shanmuganathan to intervene into the matter.
In a petition submitted to the Governor, residents of the area, where around 25 houses were demolished, said that “poor, labour class people have been living in a plot of land belonging to one Laljhari Devi, under the Cantonment’s civilian area for the last 55 years”.
“In an unprecedented move, the Cantonment authorities on Wednesday demolished our houses without serving prior notice,” the residents said while calling out for help.
The residents, in the petition, also sought an appointment with the Governor.
According to the residents, over 300 people have been affected by the demolition drive. The residents had decided to approach the High Court to get a stay on the demolition but could not do so since the Civil Court is closed at the moment.
Attempts were made to get a comment from the Chief Engineer of the Shillong Municipal Board, but his mobile phone was switched off.